Inside Rivals star Katherine Parkinson's life from famous husband to 'biggest regret'

Katherine Parkinson, renowned for her roles in The IT Crowd, Doc Martin and Humans, has become a staple of British television over the years.

The actress is set to garner further praise with her upcoming role in the new Disney Plus series, Rivals, premiering tomorrow.

Rivals, a risque series based on the best-selling novels by celebrated British author Jilly Cooper, features an all-star cast including David Tennant, Danny Dyer and Aiden Turner, reports Cornwall Live.

Katherine, 46, is poised to captivate audiences worldwide with her latest performance alongside EastEnders icon Danny.

But what about her life away from the camera? As we anticipate the debut of the new series, let's delve into the life of the actress famed for portraying Pauline Lamb and Jen Barber.

Katherine boasts an impressive academic background, having studied at Oxford University before honing her acting skills at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

She was honoured with the British Comedy Best TV Actress Award in 2009 and 2014 for her portrayal of Jen Barber in Channel 4's The IT Crowd, and received two nominations for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance, clinching the award in 2014.

Her stage career is equally notable, with appearances in high-profile productions such as 2007's The Seagull and 2018's Home, I'm Darling, earning her a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play.

The celebrity is wedded to Harry Peacock, a renowned actor from Toast of London, with whom she shared the screen in the 2015 BBC sitcom The Kennedys. They are parents to two daughters, Dora and Gwendolyn.

In 2020, Katherine gave an intimate interview to the Guardian, discussing her off-screen life, including her deepest fears, ambitions, and regrets.

When questioned about her greatest fear, she confessed to being "pathetically scared of dogs", which must have made filming Rivals alongside Alex Hassell, who portrays dog-enthusiast Rupert Campbell-Black, quite challenging.

She also revealed her most significant physical insecurity: "My broken nose. I was assaulted in my 20s, and my nose is a constant reminder."

Interestingly, she disclosed that her childhood dream was to become an astronaut, but that wasn't the most unexpected career revelation.

The actress expressed her "biggest disappointment" as "not getting into MI5", a fact that will undoubtedly surprise many fans.

When asked what she would alter if she could edit her past, Katherine referred to her health, responding: "I wish I hadn't been a heavy smoker for so many years."

Rivals boasts a star-studded cast, including Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Victoria Smurfit, Lisa McGrillis, Emily Atack, Luke Pasqualino, Catriona Chandler, Gabriel Tierney, Gary Lamont and Lara Peake, in addition to the four actors previously mentioned.

The synopsis is as follows: "Set in England 1986, Rivals is an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's second book in the Rutshire Chronicles that follows Rupert Campbell-Black, a notorious rake and famous showjumper before he quit for a career in politics, as he joins forces with his new neighbour Declan O'Hara to overthrow local unscrupulous television magnate Lord Tony Baddingham by bidding for his Cotswolds based independent television franchise.

"But Rupert and Declan's plans are disrupted by a blossoming romance between the famously womanising Rupert and Declan's innocent daughter Taggie O'Hara, a love triangle between Rupert, Tony and his right-hand woman, the brilliant American producer Cameron Cook and Declan's stormy relationship with his wife the dazzling actress Maud.

The series teases viewers with the question: "In the backstabbing world of television where it is every man and woman for themselves, can ''true'' love really blossom?"

Rivals premieres this Friday, October 18, exclusively on Disney+.